Il Posto Accanto — Restaurant in New York

I didn't have a good experience here. I met my group late for dinner. I think the staff did their best, but they are under staffed. The lack of air conditioning on a hot, humid night didn't help.

If you are going to sit in a hot restaurant, water is crucial. But the waiters wouldn't give me a carafe on my end of the table. I felt like I had to beg for water all night. In my world that's just bad service. But the waiter and bus boy were working hard, but two people is not enough to serve a busy establishment.

I can't eat tomato sauce so I ordered the fettuccine with shitake mushrooms. It tasted like plain noodles with some saluted mushrooms thrown in. I wasn't happy.

I give them credit for dessert. The apple tart was excellent. The waiter cashed us out before asking if anyone else wanted anything. So one of our party had to pay separately for her dessert.

They couldn't break up the check into 2 or 3 smaller checks so ten people had to haggle over a hard to see check in a dimly lit restaurant. I haven't had to do this in a long time, since most restaurants are a little more accommodating.

One of the owners was outside hanging out and smoking. Personally I think he should have been helping his staff, but that doesn't seem to be his thing. He appears to prefer meeting and greeting.

When I confronted him about the issues mentioned above, I got a long, tedious speech about how they are a mom and pop operation, etc.

He also assured me that if I wasn't happy with the food and service "there are plenty of other restaurants in Manhattan."

He is absolutely correct. In fact, many of the other restaurants in Manhattan serve tasty food and offer decent service in exchange for my hard earned money.

He does not have to worry, I won't be back. I did give him the heads-up that I would write a Google review, but he didn't seem concerned. So I have no problem posting my experience since he doesn't seem to mind.

His reaction just made the evening more bizarre. I guess he has enough loyal customers. He doesn't need...

Last night, I had the pleasure of catching up with an old friend at Il Posto Accanto in the Lower East Side, and I can confidently say that this restaurant is an absolute gem. From start to finish, every detail was perfect, making it one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve had in a long time.

The homemade bread was the perfect start to the evening—homemade, warm, and utterly delicious. The chicken liver crostinis and soft shell crab were both exceptional, showcasing the restaurant’s commitment to quality ingredients and authentic flavors. But the highlight of my meal was my entree- a squid ink pasta with sea urchin—a dish that was nothing short of divine. Every bite was a testament to the skill and passion that goes into the cooking at Il Posto Accanto.

As a coffee lover, I was thrilled to find that the authentic Italian espresso lived up to the high standards set by the rest of the meal. Rich, robust, and perfectly brewed, it was the ideal way to end an incredible dinner.

A special shout-out goes to Sandro, one of the bartenders/staff members, who made our evening even more enjoyable. Sandro was incredibly friendly and hospitable, sharing his knowledge on the cuisine as well as his own background from Tuscany, Italy. His knowledge and passion for Italian food and culture were evident, and his recommendations were spot on.

Overall, I give Il Posto Accanto a resounding 10 out of 10. If you’re looking for an authentic Italian dining experience in New York City, this is the place to go.

Looking forward to returning and reliving the experience all over...

While there is no question the food was delicious, unfortunately not always enough. We were a party of three and while we sat for a little bit while enjoying a cocktail, once we placed our order things moved at a pretty good pace. Aside from several mistakes with our order (side veg. brought w/ apps., one soft shell crab instead of two, wrong pasta dish) servers appropriately tried to make amends. The worst was at the end of the meal when we were not only rushed, but insulted. We finished our two courses in a little over one hour, and were planning on having dessert, when the table was being hastily cleared and we were essentially being told that we needed to finish up and leave as people were waiting to dine. My companions were so upset they just wanted to go and finish our meal and evening elsewhere. The server was extremely apologetic and offered us an aperitif, but the damage was done. As if that was not bad enough, as we were leaving I made mention to one of the owners of the situation to which he told me that I was in the wrong and how I had 'stiffed' the waiter (I left 20%) and after calling the server to confirm he proceeded to apologize profusely, embarrassed that he missed it on one of the three receipts (I left the tip for the table). Shame on the owner for his lack of hospitality and terrible manners...and usually it's the food that causes one...